Although we understand the spiritual principles around death and its timing, on a human level there is far less clarity and understanding. And when that friend or loved one dies by their own effort, the situation becomes yet more muddled and unclear. What level of despair could take them so far into their own darkness that they cannot find a single spark of light? Why didn’t they tell us they were in trouble and how could we not have been more aware of their situation? In the challenging times we live in, the thin line between hope and despair thins considerably and sometimes only one choice emerges for someone, that it’s time to quit.

We can never know the full meaning, scope, and purpose of a soul contract, which is between an individual and Source. Every life has a purpose and every purpose is always fulfilled, no matter when death happens. For those who are left behind with unanswered questions, we think it’s a life unfulfilled but that isn’t true. It has fulfilled its mission and purpose, but not in ways we understand. We can have some influence over someone’s life choices when we can show them a different example but even then, the final choice is always theirs.

The church condemns these choices as a fall from grace but it’s a call to grace, to give ourselves the gifts of grace, hope, and peace and to embrace the light so we can overcome our own fear and darkness, which is part of our soul contract. While that’s easy to do in spirit, it’s less easy when we’re stuck in the density of despair and the light seems to be outside of our grasp. For these people, the dark night of the soul becomes a nightmare that grows to encompass every moment of their lives and they give up.

I have stood at the edge of that cliff a few times too and wondered how I was ever going to make it to joy again. I always did but it took a lot of effort. You read about my story in 30 Days to Everyday Miracles, that time when I was flat broke, unemployed, nearly homeless, crying myself to sleep every night as I asked God to take me home because I could no longer tolerate my life nor could I figure out how I was going to get out of the mess I was in. I made it through, as have many of you, but for some people the effort is too great and they just can’t do it. Returning to Source, going ‘home’ is a temptation they cannot resist and the peace of that world is something they cannot find or create here. For many the choice point they are facing is extremely tough; some are not able to consider potentials or options.

For several years, I have written about this time when the choice between dark and light, density and creation, 3D and 5D, and life on earth or to continue the journey in spirit would become more important. And it has been gradually unfolding until now, when it’s gaining momentum as the energy frequencies increase and the potentials for light and for dark are greater than ever.

We can’t dictate anyone’s choices but we can show compassion and understanding, doing our best to understand the spiritual nature and purpose of life as we struggle to understand why anyone would choose to end their life. This was brought home to me today, in a rather personal way and while I understand the choice the person made, I couldn’t understand why they never reached out for help to deal with their pain. Did they really think no one loved them or cared and would not have helped them? I hope not but the choice is made and their life is over.

We can grieve those who decide that this is their best option but we must also acknowledge, no matter how much we do not understand, that it is part of their journey and it is their choice. And we can celebrate the love we had for them, gather the good memories close to their heart as we appreciate their presence in our lives and realize that for some people, going home means just that and they are more comfortable in that dimension than they have ever been in this one.

Copyright (c) 2016 by Jennifer Hoffman. All rights reserved. You may quote, translate, reprint or refer to this message if you mention the author name and include a working link to http://enlighteninglife.com